Athletes and spectators around the globe are getting ready for the Summer Olympics, ,set to begin on August 8 in Beijing, China. The upcoming Games have brought international attention to this large country. But not all of that attention has been positive. The Games have shone a light on China's problems and poor human rights records. That's why protesters have bee appearing throughout the Olympic torch's tour.
The FIRST OLYMPIC GAMES were held in Olympia, Greece, in 776 B.C. The MODERN OLYMPICS were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896, two years after French educator Pierre de Coubertin proposed reviving them.
On July 13, 2001, the International Olympic Committee ( I.O.C.) chose Beijing for the 2008 Summer Games. Other finalists were Istanbul, Turkey; Osaka, Japan; Paris, France; and Toronto, Canada.
The Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin at 8 seconds past eight ( 8:08 pm on August 8, 2008 = 8/8/08 ). Eight is a lucky number in Chinese culture.